Brassiere



June 17, 1952 E. M. HARRINGTON/ BRASSIERE Filed April 8, 1950 INVENTOR.

\ Patented June 17, 1952 UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE 2,600,645 BRASSIERE Edward M. Harrington, St. Louis, Mo.

Application April 8, 1950, Serial No. 154,809

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to brassires and more specifically to brassieres of the so-called strapless type which include no straps extended over the'wearers shoulders for supporting the brassieres, the predominant object of the invention being to provide such a brassiere which includes a lightly boned front panel that is secured about the body of a wearer and which is provided with means for maintaining the brassiere in proper position on the body of a wearer thereof, said means being so arranged and concealed that a substantial portion of the back of a wearer of the brassiere is exposed so as to permit of the wearing of deep-cut or backless garments.

Fig. 1 is a perspective of the improved brassiere of this invention showing same as it appears when being worn.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the improved brassiere of this invention showing same in a spread-out position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the drawing, wherein is shown for purposes of illustration,: merely, one embodiment of the invention, A designates the improved brassiere generally. The improved brassiere includes a front panel I having a cup section I at the top thereof which provides a pair of cups 2, I

the lower portion of said front panel I being shown in the drawing as being disposed adjacent to the waist of a wearer of the brassiere. At the lower end of the front panel I of the brassiere a pair of straps 3 are provided which are adapted to embrace the body of a wearer of the brassiere, these straps including elastic portions 3' and being provided with suitable fastening elements at their free ends, hooks and eyes, 45, for hi stance,'through the instrumentality of which the straps 3 may be securely fastened about the body of a wearer of the brassire and thereby be maintained in position for use.

The front panel I of the brassiere A preferably is provided with suitable reinforcing means 6 for imparting to said front panel sufficient stiffness to cause the brassiere to perform its bust-supporting function. The front panel need only be lightly reinforced so that said front panel will not be so stiff that it will interfere with free movement of the wearer of the brassiere, and the reinforcing means 6 may be in the form of boning, wires, plastic elements, or elements formed of other materials which may be found to be suitable for the purpose. By referring to the drawings it will be noted that the reinforcin elements at opposite sides of the front panel are of such length that they extend substantially to the upper edge of the cup sectionv of the brassira, as indicated at 6', this arrangement being provided for a. purpose which will presently become obvious.

In order to maintain the upper cup section I of the brassiere in proper position relative to the body of a wearer of the brassiere a plurality of straps are provided which are attached at corresponding ends thereof to the front portion of the brassire and are attached at their opposite corresponding ends to the straps 3 at points which, when the brassire is being worn, will be at the back of the wearer of the brassiere. In other words, a pair of straps l are provided which are secured by stitching, or otherwise, to the upper portion of the cup section I of the brassiere at the opposite sides of said cup section, there being one of these straps I at each side of the brassire. Likewise, at each side of the brassiere a strap 8 is provided which is secured at its forward end by stitching, or otherwise, to the front panel I at a point spaced down wardly from the cup section I.

The straps 3, which are attached to the lower portion of the front panel I, have secured thereto by stitching, or otherwise, attaching elements 9 which by preference have flared portions 9'. The points of attachment of the attaching elements 9 to the straps 3 are so located that said attaching elements are disposed at the back of a wearer of the brassiere, only the end portions of said straps 3 which are attached together to cause said straps to embrace the body of a wearer of the brassiere being interposed between the pair of attaching elements 9 when the brassiere is being worn. The straps I and 8 at each side of the brassiere A are provided with adjustable portions I0 and II, the rearward portions of these adjustable portions being suitably connected by means of elements I0 and II to the appropriate attaching elements 9. The adjustable sections I0 and II shown in the drawing are of the sliding type, well known to persons familiar with the art to which this invention relates, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to this particular type of adjustment as various other adjusting means may be employed for performing the function of increasing or reducing the effective length of the straps I and 8.

At each side of the brassire A a short strap I2 is provided which is secured by stitching, or otherwise, to a side portion of the front panel I of the brassire at the base of the cup section I, said straps I2 being secured, respectively, at their rear ends by stitching, or otherwise, to the straps l. The straps I2 preferably, though not necessarily, are formed of elastic material so that they may be self-adjusting as to length.

When the improved brassiere of this invention is to be worn it is arranged in proper position on the body of the wearer and the straps 3 are brought around the body of the wearer and are secured together at the wearers back, and

because the straps I and 8 at opposite sides of the brassiere are secured at their rear ends to the straps 3, at the back of a wearer of the brassire, as has v.beenpreviously explained ,herein, the actionof .causing the waist straps to embrace the body of the wearer will cause the straps I and 8 to be turned about opposite side portions of the wearers body. Thus, a snubbing action is obtained in the case of each of the straps 1 and 8 at the point where said, strap is turned about the wearers body with the result that the effective anchor point of the rear portions of said straps 1 and 8 are not the points where they are attached to straps 3, but, instead, are the points where said straps are snubbed about the wearers body. As-a' result of this situation, the rear anchor points of the straps I and 8 are raised considerably above the location of the straps 3 so that instead of having a decided downward PUIL'ES would be the case if said straps were attached to'the straps 3 and were not snubbed aboutthe body of the wearer, the pull of said Thus, the rearward pull of the hold the brassiere in place relative to the body of the wearer thereof without excessive, undesired downward pull.

Because of the construction of the brassiere of this invention and the arrangement of the supporting straps thereof a very considerable portion of the back of a wearer of the brassiere may be exposed in a strapless manner substantially to the Waist, if this should be desired, so

as to permit of the wearing of deep-cut or bacl less garments. It is pointed out, however, that 'thestraps 3 need not embra'ce'the body of a wearerof the brassire at or near the wearers waist, but, instead, the front panel i may be of such height that the straps 3 will be located a i considerable distance above the wearers waist when-a brassire of the construction of this invention is not designed for use with deep-cut or backless garments.

I claim:

1. A brassiere comprising a front panel having acup section at the upper portion thereof which is-provided with a pair of cups, strap means for aiding in securing said brassiere in place for use, said strap means being extended from the lower sideedges of said front panel and being adapted for disposition in an embracing brassiere securing position, and a plurality of straps at each side of said brassiere, corresponding forward end portions of the straps at one side of the vbrassiere being attached to the brassiere at said one side at vertically spaced points and corresponding forward end portions of said, straps at the opposide side of the brassire being attached to the brassire at said opposite side at vertically spaced points, said plurality of straps at the opposite sides of the brassire being attached at corresponding rear end portions thereof to said strap means at points which are locatedat the back of said strap means when sameis in the brassiere securing position, said strap means and said plurality of strapsxat the opposite sides of the brassiere servingas the'means for securing the brassire in place for use and said strap means and said plurality of strapsat'opposite sides of the brassiere being located entirely below the tops of the cups of the brassiere.

:2. -A brassiere comprising a front panel having a cupsection at the upper portion thereof which isrprovided witha pair of cups, strap means for ing position,:,a pluralitmof'strapsiat? each side of said brassiere, corresponding forward end portions of the straps at one side of the brassire being attached to the brassire at said one side at vertically spaced points and corresponding 10.

forwardend portions of said straps at the opposite side'ofthe brassiere being attached to the 'brassiere at saidpp osite side at vertically spaced po ints,,said plurality of straps at the opposite sides-of the brassierecbeing attached at corresponding rear end portions thereof to said strap means at points .which. are ,locate'dsat' the backof said strap means whenzsame isyin .thesbrassire securing position, said. strap, means'and said; plurality of straps attheopposite:sidesof the brassiere serving as the means for securing-the brassiere in place for.:use and said: strap means and said plurality of. straps-at opposite. sides "of the brassiere being located entirely ":below 1 the tops of the cups ofthebrassire, and arelatively-short strap at each side ofthebrassirewhichiis=attached at one-of its-:endportions'to an upper front portion of the :brassireand: atjits opposite end portion to ;one:of-;saidplura1ity :ofstraps at the same sideof: the..brassiere.

3. A brassirecomprising'a-frontpanel having a cup section at the upperportion,thereofrwhich is provided with a pair of cups.--a-:strap:-means for aiding insecuring saidbrassire-finiplaceifor use, said strap: means beingaextendedjfrom fthe lower side edges of said front panel and ;being adapted for disposition-in. an-embracingrbrassiere securing position, a plurality of straps sat each side of. said brassiere.zcorrespondingiforward: end portions ofitherstrapszatzone;side;of;.the .brassiere being attached .130 thebrassireratzsaid; onersi'de at vertically spaced yzpoints and rcorresponding forwardend portions-oftsaidstrapsratitheiopposite side of" ther-brassiere being attached-to the brassiere at said opposite'side at-verticallyrspaced points, said plurality :of 58131131135321?! :the i'opposite sides of thei:brassirei-be.ing:attachedrat corresponding reariend portions thereof to said strap means at points whichrare; located'atthe :back of said strap means when same: isyin' .the, ibrassiere securing position, said: strap means and said; plurality of straps;atthe;opposite;sides;of the :brassiere serving as thezmea-nsifor secnring1the,brassiere in place; for use and a-saidistrap means :and said pluralitygof-straps ataoppositeqsides ofiythe brassiere being 1' located -;en.t irely .below -:thetops of the cups of the brassire;andzarelativelyshort strap at each .side of :the brassiere'whichis formed of elastic, material and is :attached at one of its end portions tor-an upperfront-portion of the brassirezandat its*oppositegendzportion to one of said;plurality of strapstat'thersame side of the brassiere.

TEDWARD'. HARRINGTQN.

REFERENCES ,CITED The following references are. of.record .inthe file of thispatent:

UNITED :STATES PPA'I'ENTS Number Name Date 1,240,510 Taylor Sept. 18, 1917 1,667,796 Morrison May 1.19% 2,239,056 Schifier Apr. "22, 1941 2,352,367 'Bujdossy ..."June 27,;'1944 2,512,215 Rosenthal et a1. .}'-'I'11I18520,11950 

